Why You Should Reduce the AGEs in your Food

Why You Should Reduce the AGEs in your Food

Certain Chemicals formed in your cooking give food a more desirable taste and smell, but could they be making you sick? The answer may surprise you.

Research show that chemicals called AGEs (Advanced Glycation end products) promote chronic, low-grade inflammation in your body makes AGEs internally, if you eat a modern, high-heat-processed and animal protein-rich diet, you may be adding significant fuel to the fire without realizing it.

The adverse effects of AGEs suggested so fat include the stiffening of blood vessels, a dysfunctional heart, kidney disease, accelerated ageing, and earlier diabetic complications affecting the eyes, nerves, and kidneys.

AGEs in food

In general, foods that contain the highest levels of AGEs are animal products such as meat, chicken ,fish, and cheeses such as parmesan and cheddar that are both aged and high in gat. High-fat spreads include butter, margarine, cream cheese, and mayonnaise. Milk and plant foods such as legumes, whole grain, fruits, and vegetables contain the lowest amounts.

How you cook food is important. High heat and dry cooking methods like grilling, frying, roasting, toasting, and barbecuing all accelerate the formation of AGFEs.

For example, dry heat promotes AGEs formation by 10- to 100-fold so it’s no surprise that even lean-grilled chicken fillets or pan-fried trimmed steaks are loaded with AGEs, in the plant food category, crackers, chips, and biscuits can contribute high levels if you snack on these foods. Indeed, biscuits have 10 times more AGEs than bread.

You can significantly reduce the amount of AGEs by the way you choose to cook your food or have it prepared for you.

Three ways to reduce AGEs

• Use moist cooking methods such as steaming, poaching, stewing, and boiling.
• Cook over a low heat.
• Marinate in acidic liquids such as lemon juice or vinegar before cooking.
• People who regularly eat foods with minimum amounts of meat and cheese and that have been cooked with moist heat (such as soups and stews) can cut daily of AGEs in half.

Nutritionist Sue Radd is the award-winning author of the Breakfast Book and coauthor of Eat to Live, internationally acclaimed for showing how savvy eating can combat cancer and heart disease and improve well-being.